AUG 20- Upping their ante against nationwide screening of John Abraham starrer “Madras Cafe”, allegedly portraying the outlawed LTTE in bad light, pro Tamil outfits including Vaiko’s MDMK today sought a ban on the film, scheduled to be released this Friday.
“The Centre should ban the film… if screened, human rights organisations should protest against it in cities like Mumbai,” MDMK leader Vaiko said in a statement. He also requested Tamil Nadu government to ban the film and asked theatre owners not to screen it.
Set in the late 80s and early 90s in India and Sri Lanka, “Madras Cafe” traces the political and military histories of the neighbours and covers the Research and Analysis Wing and Lankan rebel group LTTE’s activities through the eye of an agent, played by Abraham, who has also produced the movie.
The film was shown to select activists of pro Tamil outfits yesterday in the city, after they demanded screening of the movie before release, as they suspected it showed LTTE in bad light.
Seeman, founder of ‘Naaam Thamizhar Katchi (We Tamils Party)’ too sought a ban on the movie saying it was a film made to create enmity between Tamils and Malayalees as everyone shown as good is a Malayalee and almost all Tamils are characterised as villains.
He said that the film made one feel it was financially supported by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He also requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to intervene and seek a ban on the film by the Centre.
Even as promos of the film started flooding the media early this month, pro-Tamil outfits like the Naam Tamizhar Katchi besides Pattali Makkal Katchi alleged that the film was anti-Tamil.
Though Abraham later denied labelling anyone or group as terrorist in the film, it failed to cut ice with the groups. Sources in the Tamil film industry said the movie’s plot was the killing of Rajiv Gandhi and the events that culminated in his assassination.
Watch the trailer
INDIA TODAY
